Birthday Beats
by LittleBritishPerson
Summary: It's Ethan's birthday but his day doesn't go quite according to plan.
1. Chapter 1

**Howdy all! Just taking a break from coursework when suddenly I had some inspiration, pretty bad inspiration but still inspiration :D**

 **I also learned something: I looked up Casualty's studio on Google maps and I was very amazed to find the ED block. I even posted it on my Instagram page, I was so amazed :D**

 **Anyway, I watched the Autumn trailer and one of the scenes had Ethan blowing out a birthday cake or some sort and also, you know I like to hurt him a little so that's where I got the inspiration.**

Ethan woke up on a bright autumn morning, to the sound of his new niece crying, he put on his dressing gown and walked out of his room where he saw Cal walking around the living room cuddling his daughter. Ethan couldn't help but smile as he watched Cal put 'Flibbertigibbet' in her cot.

"Hey." Ethan said chirpily. Cal looked up from the cot.

"Hey bro! Happy Birthday!" Cal grabbed Ethan's face with both hands and started inspecting Ethan's confused face. "Nope still not got my good looks yet." Cal chuckled as he patted his brother on the back and handed Ethan a birthday card, Ethan rolled his eyes with a grin. "So what do you want to do today?"

"I have work Cal." Ethan frowned slightly.

"Oh yeah, well it's only a four hour shift. Shall we do something after? Have dinner and a walk through the park near the docks? Go to the pub?" Cal smiled.

"Dinner and a walk sounds good." Ethan smiled as he read the humorous 'getting old' card. "Very funny." Ethan smiled as he held the front of the card up, in front of Cal. Cal couldn't help but chuckle. "Right I best go get this shift over and done with." Ethan smiled then walked into his room to get dressed.

Ethan walked into reception and Robyn and Lofty walked up to him.

"Happy Birthday Ethan!" Robyn squealed as she hugged him.

"Happy Birthday Mate!" Lofty patted Ethan's shoulder. Ethan thanked them both then walked to the staffroom to collect his scrubs.

Ethan walked to the nurses station in cubicles to find Big Mac had a small chocolate birthday cake on the desk with a candle on.

"Make a wish, Ethan." Big Mac smiled, Ethan smiled back then leaned forward slightly, blowing the candle out on the tiny cake.

"Thank you everyone." Ethan spoke as he looked at all the staff around cubicles, suddenly a voice spoke behind him.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Ethan 'top of the class' Hardy." Ethan turned around the familiar voice.

"Lance." Ethan gulped. Lance was Ethan's school bully. "Er, what are you doing here?" Ethan stuttered slightly.

"Oh I've just been waiting here three hours to get a splint removed from my arm! I'm gonna put in a complaint about this place!" Lance hissed, all the staff just looked at him disapproving eyes.

"Sorry to hear that Lance." Ethan started to walk away but Lance placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Where are you going? We must catch up. Come, let's get this splinter removed." Lance placed his arm around Ethan and dragged him to a cubicle. "So it's your birthday? Remember all them birthday beats I use to give you?" Lance smirked as Ethan gently removed the large splinter from Lance's bloody arm.

"Yes I remember." Ethan spoke, trying not to sound scared. "So, er Lance, what do you do for a living?"

"Well I'm not some posh, rich doctor if that's what your thinking. I'm a manager at a car scrap yard." Lance sounded quite proud.

"Oh that's nice." Ethan smiled nervously, Lance frowned.

"I'll have you know 'Doctor' I'm proud where I am today." Lance stood up, towering over Ethan.

"That's...that's good." Ethan stuttered.

"Wow, you still stutter." Lance tutted. "Well thank you for patching me up but I must dash." Lance left cubicles. Ethan stood there pale as ever. Lofty walked up to him.

"Ethan, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Lofty asked. Ethan didn't respond he just kept staring at the doors Lance left through. Without thinking Ethan followed Lance, anger rising. Ethan ran out side the ED.

"Lance!" Ethan stormed over to him. Lance turned around.

"What's up four eyes? Did I forget to give you birthday beats?" Lance chuckled.

Suddenly Dixie and Iain drove round the corner in the ambulance with Lance standing in the way.

"Dixie!" Iain shouted as he spotted Lance. Dixie pushed her foot into the brake. Ethan who was originally still walking, then quickly ran to Lance and pushed him to the side as the ambulance hit Ethan. Ethan fell backwards, landing on his back with some force, Ethan hit his head on the hard, concrete floor and closed his eyes. Once the ambulance stopped, Dixie and Iain ran out to check an unresponsive Ethan.

Lance stood up slowly from being pushed to the floor, watching Ethan being checked over, thinking too himself: After the way I treated him through the years, he saved my life.

 **Sorry if this is horrendous but hopefully Chapter two will be uploaded soon. See you soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all! Just a quick chapter before I resume to coursework. Not sure if I should end this story on this chapter or I might sneak in another. We'll see.**

 **Another thing I learned: I looked on a Casualty Wikipedia page and it said that Cal's daughter is called Matilda. How sweet but I'm not sure if it's true. Guess we will find out. Anyway enough wittering, on with the story :D**

Ethan woke to the sound of beeping, again. He looked around, he was in resus with an oxygen mask on and with little circular pads on his chest. Connie turned around to him from another patient.

"Dr Hardy, welcome back to reality. How you feeling?" Connie asked as she checked his pulse with her watch.

"Fantastic." Ethan smiled lightly.

"That'll be the drugs, enjoy them while they last." Connie smiled. "I've told Cal about what happened, he's on his way in now." Ethan nodded lightly and Connie left resus.

Ethan looked at his injured state, he could just about move everything so he sighed in relief that nothing was broken. He fell asleep after inspecting himself.

"Ethan I am so sorry." Ethan opened his eyes to reveal Dixie.

"It's not your fault, if anything it was mine." Ethan smiled.

"No I should of watched where I was going, if it wasn't you it would of been that other guy." Dixie sighed.

"Dixie it's fine, you wasn't going quick enough to do any permanent damage. Really I'm fine." Ethan smiled positively. Dixie smiled and grabbed his hand since Ethan couldn't exactly form a hug right now. Dixie left and Ethan once again shut his eyes.

"Are you freaking insane?!" Ethan opened his eyes again to reveal Cal.

"What?" Ethan whispered.

"Running in front of a vehicle, geez Ethan. Why?" Cal bounced baby girl in his arms as he had a go at Ethan.

"Lance, school bully, he was here. He walked away then the ambulance came out of no where, I got him out of the way." Ethan sighed. "What would you of done? We're doctors, we save lives."

"Not when it comes to that, you let a car hit them then we save their lives. Action stuff is for the police." Cal huffed, Ethan couldn't help but laughed slightly. Cal started to smile at his brother and took a seat next to Ethan, still holding baby girl, the baby started to grizzle.

"Hey Flibbertigibbet, I'm okay." Ethan smiled as he stroked his finger on the baby's head and back.

"I think Dixie owes you a drink later." Cal chuckled bouncing the baby slightly. Ethan chuckled but he couldn't take his eyes off of the baby. "You know it's weird, she started crying around the same time you got hit, it's almost like she knew."

"Wouldn't be surprised, I am her favourite uncle." Ethan smiled.

"You know Ethan, we really must name her before she thinks Flibbertigibbet is her actual name." Cal and Ethan chuckled at the thought.

"How about Kate? Katherine?" Ethan suggested. Cal looked at baby girl.

"Nah I don't think she looks like a Kate. Emma?" Ethan and Cal thought about it.

"Nah." They both said in unison.

Half an hour down the line, they were still figuring out names.

"How about Matilda?" Ethan suggested again. Cal thought about it.

"Matilda? I like that. Let's keep that as a maybe." Cal smiled. Connie walked back into resus.

"Right Ethan, your head CT was clear. So I'm happy for you to go home but just rest for a few days." Connie went to leave but had one more thing to say. "Oh and Ethan, happy birthday, even though it went quite differently." Connie smiled then left resus.

Ethan smiled lightly at what Connie said. Cal put 'Matilda' in her carrier strapped to Cal then helped Ethan off the trolley.

"Come on you, let's go get your clothes. You hungry?" Cal asked as he helped Ethan stand up.

"Yeah I could eat." Ethan smiled.

"Does dinner and a walk still sound good?" Cal suggested.

"I think it will be fine, I'll just sit in 'Matilda's buggy if I don't fancy walking a lot." Ethan joked, Cal chuckled and the boys walked to the staffroom for Ethan's normal clothes.

As Ethan and Cal walked through reception, everyone asked Ethan if he was okay and that they will have birthday drinks with him when he comes back to work. Cal took 'Matilda' out of his baby carrier and held her up in the air. Ethan, as bruised as he is picked up 'Matilda's' bag.

"Ethan don't worry about the bag, I'll get it in a minute." Cal smiled

"It's fine." Ethan smiled then laughed as he watched the baby's face reactions to Cal talking to her weirdly. Ethan must admit: it was weird seeing Cal talk like that.

Lance stood outside the ED, on the side of the doorway. Watching the brothers and their little one. It got Lance thinking, should he thank Ethan for saving him from more injury or just leave it now that he has seen Ethan up and walking?

 **Oops, looks like I am doing another chapter, kind of want to see what happens next even though I'm writing this hehe.**

 **Thank you everyone for your reviews, favourites and follows so far. Once again you are awesome!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey all, just finished watching Casualty. Ethan with the baby at the beginning of the episode was so adorable!**

Lance continued to stand at the doorway watching Ethan until finally he began to walk away slowly before turning back around and walking back into the ED.

"Hey Ethan." Lance said quietly. Ethan looked at him with a frown, as did Cal. "You okay?"

"Yes Lance I'm fine." Ethan still continued to frown.

"Oh that's good. Ethan can I talk to you please? Privately." Lance asked as he stared a Cal.

"Make it quick, we've got to take the baby home." Lance nodded and he and Ethan went for a walk outside the ED. "What is it Lance? If it's birthday beats then forget it, I had enough of those from the ambulance."

"No, it's not birthday beats. I just wanted to say thank you, for saving my life." Lance smiled nervously.

"It wasn't going fast enough to kill you." Ethan still continued to frown.

"Wow, you suddenly grew a pair. What happened?" Lance chuckled.

"Nothing happened, I'm just not very afraid of you. We're all grown ups now. This isn't secondary school. Now if you excuse me I have to get back to my niece." Ethan tutted then walked back to the ED, leaving Lance stunned.

"Right, ready to go?" Ethan smiled as he walked to Cal.

"What did he want? I hope he apologised for everything he did to you." Cal huffed.

"Nope, he only thanked me for saving his life, I did and didn't accept it really." Ethan said.

"Ethan, I know you hate him. But you should of just shaken hands and gone separate ways" Cal sighed. Ethan knew he was right. Ethan made his way back of of the ED and Cal followed. Once they got outside, they didn't see Lance but saw loads of people looking up at the roof of the ED, where Lance was standing.

"Oh my God." Ethan spoke before he ran to the stairs to the roof.

"Ethan, be careful!" Cal shouted after his brother. Ethan grunted at his aching body as he made his way up the stairs.

"Lance! What are you doing?" Ethan tried to sound calm. Lance looked at him.

"Oh hello Ethan, I'm just enjoying this wonderful scenery." Lance began to cry. "My life is a mess Ethan, I can't even get the kid I bullied to accept me when usually they are the most understanding." Lance sniffled.

"Lance this is crazy, all this because I did/didn't accept your thank you. You've treated me like rubbish over the years! When I finally got into sixth form I was so relieved that you didn't get in!" Ethan almost shouted but he knew he had to stay calm. "Look just get down from here and we will talk properly.

Lance, who was standing on the edge, made his way down but his foot slipped, Ethan ran and grabbed his hand, Lance hung over the edge. Ethan pulled him up, grabbing Lance's shoulders and threw him over to his side. Ethan slumped the floor, he was seriously tired. Cal sighed in relief.

"You're welcome." Ethan panted as he laid on the floor with Lance laying next to him. Lance stuck out his hand and Ethan accepted it.

 **Thought I would end this story with some style hehe. Hope it was good for you! And I will see you all in my next story.**

 **Thank you for all your reviews, favourites and follows.**


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